Cup dispensing device



April 1,1969 'R.-T.co-RNL|US TAL -3,435,985T

CUP DIsrENsIN-G lDEVI-CE v y Filed Nov. 1e, 196e y l `s'neei or 2v 2:15#

ml" A I NVEN TORSv BY@ l ATTORNEYS April 1, 1969 R. T. CORNELIUS ET A; v3,435,985

CUP DISPENSING DEVICE n Filed Nav. 1e, 196e sheet 6 of 2 l L k INVENTOR5 23 /4 @MAM/Q0 ffm/vanas.

` v ATTORNEYS BY mi United States `Patent O 3,435,985 CUP DISPENSING DEVICE Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapolis, and Irving F. Snyder, Anoka, Minn., assignors to The Cornelius Company, Anoka, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 594,853 Int. Cl. B65h 3/32 U.S. Cl. 221-194 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A cup dispensing device includes a pair of cup guides which jointly normally define a pocket at a beverage dispensing station, the pocket being receptive of individual falling cups that rest on a drip tray therebeneath, both of the cup guides being pivoted about a vertical axis and respectively having a pair of spaced projections engagea'ble by the back of the fingers of a person grasping a filled cup in the pocket.

This invention relates generally to a beverage dispensing machine, and more specifically to structure by which a cup that has been vended is guided for being filled.

Various types of cup guide structure have been provided on previous beverage dispensing machines. These have had one or more of the following problems inherent in their construction. Certain prior cup` guides have not been able to accommodate cups having a wide range in size. Other cup guide to be reliable have required that the cup be dropped from a point straight above the dispensing station, or from a point where the drop angle is close to Vertical. Certain prior cup guides have been of such construction as to make initial alignment a problem, as to induce cup bounce, and/or as to support cups in a cocked position. Most significantly, prior cup guides which have been reliable in their cup-supporting function have included encircling structure of a rigid type which has necessitated manual deformation of the cup to enable its removal from such cup guide. As such removal takes place when the cup is full, such construction has produced more manual spilling.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispensing machine having an improved cup guide construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide cup guide structure which will be receptive oi any size cup.

A further object of the present invention is to provide structure wherein initial alignment problems, cup bounce problems, and the support of cups in cocked positions have been eliminated.

A particularly important object of the present invention is to provide means by which a cup may be removed Without distortion by hand by straight outward removal.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

FIG. l is a front elevational view, partly in cross section, of the dispensing station of a beverage dispensing machine provided in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view in reduced scale of the structure shown in FIG. l; and

Patented Apr. 1, 1969 FIG. 3 is a top view in reduced scale of the structure shown in FIG. l.

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a beverage dispensing machine which is equipped with means (not shown) for discharging individual cups for transfer by gravity to a dispensing station which forms a part of such dispensing machine, such dispensing station being shown in each of the figures, and generally indicated by the numeral 10. 'lihe cup discharging or vending means may be any one of many known such structures. The dispensing station 1.0 includes a drip tray 11 for supporting individual cups C, the tray 11 being disposed above a drain 12 which is disposed just inwardly of the front wall 13 of the beverage dispensing machine, the wall 13 having an access opening 14 leading thereto. The tray 11 is surrounded or enclosed at its left side by a wall 15, at its right side by a wall 16, and at its rear side by a rear wall 17 having an aperture 18. Between the cup discharging means (not shown) and the dispensing station 10, there are a number of stationary elements 19, 20 which jointly define a chute through which cups fall by gravity and by which cups are directed to the dispensing station 10. The rear wall 17 supports a beverage discharge outlet 21 at a level above the top of the supported cups C.

The present invention includes a pair of cup guides 22, 23, the one being substantially a reverse image of the other. The cup guides 22, 23 have internal surfaces 24, 25 which taper, which are semi-tubular and which confront each other and which jointly define a pocket 26 receptive of individual cups. The surfaces 24, 25 thus detine portions of a frusto-conical space or position in which the individual cups are received. The cup guides 22, 23 are upwardly spaced from the drip tray 11 so that the portion of each cup that would be grasped by hand projects below the lower end of the cup guides 22, 23. As best seen in FIG. 2, at least one, and preferably rboth cup guides 22, 23 have a rearwardly extending bracket 27, 28 which extends through the aperture 18, the brackets 27, 28 jointly closing substantially the entire aperture 18. The cup guide 22 has a pair of vertically spaced ears 29, 30 and the cup guide 23 has a pair of vertically spaced ears 31, 32. A pin 33 extends through the ears 29-32 and is held in position by a clip 34. A torsion spring 35 is carried on the pin 33 and its ends act on the bracket portions 27, 28 as best seen in FIG. 1. The structure thus described comprises supporting -means for the cup guides 22, 23 by which at least one and preferably both of the cup guides 22, 23 are pivotably supported for movement about a vertical axis, such axis being outside of the pocket 26 and behind the rear wall 17.

Stop means are provided to limit the pivoting of the cup guides 22, 23 toward each other, such means thereby serving to define the normal cup-receiving position thereof. yIn this embodiment, as `best seen in FIG. 3, the stop means includes a stationary portion and a movable portion, the stationary portion being a marginal portion 36 of the rear wall 17 adjacent to the aperture 18, and the movable portion being a flange 37 provided on each of the cup guides 22, 23. The flange portions 37 engage the rear side of the rear wall 17 and thus serve as a further means for closing the aperture 18. The stop means 36, 37 serve to space the cup guides 22, 23 from each other by an amount which enables free reception of a cup C, and this spacing enables the cup to Ibe supported on the drip tray 11 with relatively little clearance at its lip with respect to the cup guides 22, 23.

The stop means 36, 37 is slightly adjustable so that the size of the pocket may be selected. Various types of structures can be employed for this purpose which involve a stationary portion, Iand a movable portion of the cup guides 22, 23. In the disclosed embodiment, the marginal portion 36 of the rear wall 17 may be bent forwardly or rearwardly a slight amount to obtain the desired pocket size. It is to be understood that this type of adjustable stop means is representative.

Each of the cup guides 22, 23 is provided with a projection 38, 39, each of which extends generally radially of the pocket 26. The projections 38, 39 are spaced from each other so as to enable a person to insert his fingers therebetween. (The term fingers as used here includes the thumb). On doing s0, if the right hand is employed, the back side of the thumb may engage the projection 38, while the back side of the other fingers, or some of the other fingers, may engage the projection 39. As the thumb is moved away from the other fingers, relatively, the projections 38, 39 are engaged for effecting pivoting of the cup guides 22, 23 away from each other. The force of the spring 35 is sufiicient to maintain the cup guides 22, 23 in the position illustrated when the only other force applied thereto is from the cup C. However, the force derived from the spring 35 is as light as possible so as to offer a minimum resistance to spreading. Once the user has spread the cup guides apart by engaging the projections 38, 39 with his fingers, the cup C is unobstructed and the user may lift the cup and remove it in a straight forward direction, there 4being no necessity to deform the cup to obtain its release from the cup guides 22, 23. Thus during removal, the cup would not actually be touching either of the cup guides. If a user brings his hand into position to engage only the projection 39, the cup guide 23 will swing sufficiently of itself to enable ready release of the cup C as described. Similarly, such as if the user is left handed, the back of the fingers of the left hand may engage the projection 38, or may engage bo-th of the projections 3S, 39 as described for the right hand, and obtain equally free and ready release of the filled cup.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the pin 33 extends through and is supported by a pair of tabs 40, 41 which are integral with the rear wall 17.

Earlier herein, it is stated that various types of structures can be employed `as adjustable stop means which include a stationary portion and a movable portion of the cup guides 22, 23. In the disclosed embodiment, to illustrate this feature, there is provided a further and preferred type of stop means, generally indicated at 42. The stop means 42 includes a threaded nut 43 which is secured as by a spotweld or any other convenient manner to the rear side of the rear wall 17 as best seen in FIG. 2.

A screw 44 has a threaded portion `carried by the nut 43, t

one end of which screw 44 extends to the rear of or behind the rear wall 17 for access from the rear side thereof. The screw 44 has a tapered end 45 which extends through the rear wall 17 and is received between a pair of ears 46, 47 in position to be engaged by a pair f complementally confronting faces 48, 49. The ears 46, 47 form integral parts of the cup guides 22, 23. The stop ears 46, 47 are thus disposed between the cup-receiving pocket and the axis of the support pin 33. An advantageous structure can be provided wherein only one of the ears 46, 47 is included, but the preferred form is to include both of such ears.

The structure of this invention thus is inherently capable of accommodating a wide range of cup heights, and is readily adjusted to accommodate reliably a range of cup diameters. Moreover, we have found that the drop angle is not at all critical, land may be as much as 45 from the vertical. The structure is equally used with ease by both left-hand or right-hand operation and no distorting of the cup is necessary for its removal. Further, the structure provides initial cup alignment which is perfect, and precludes cup bounce and cocking of cups.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device for transferring individual cups by gravity to a beverage dispensing station, including:

(a) a pair of tapering semitubular cup guides jointly normally defining a frustoconical pocket in said station receptive of individual lfalling cups for moving the cups radially during their fall to a position of alignment with the dispensing station;

(b) means entirely remote from said pocket and supporting said cup guides and enabling both of said guides to be manually pivoted both jointly and individually away from the other of said guides about a iixedly `disposed vertical axis outside of said pocket; and

(c) a pair of spaced projections on said guides, each of said projections extending horizontally generally radially of said pocket and vertically below said pocket and being normally disposed to be engaged and separated further from the other of said projections by the back of the lingers of a person grasping the cup in said pocket.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which said cup guides are upwardly spaced from a horizontally extending cup-supporting drip tray, forming a part of said station, by a distance enabling the cup to project into said pocket while on said drip tray.

3. A device according to claim 1, which further includes:

(a) spring means remote from said pocket and biasing the pivotable cup guides to a normal cup-receiving position;

(b) stop means coactive between a stationary portion of said device and both of said pivotable cup guides for defining the normal minimum size of said pocket; and

(c) means for enabling the effective position of said stop means to be selected to adapt said pocket for coaction with a particular diameter of cup, and for holding apart those portions of said cup guides which have said projections.

4. A device for transferring individual cups by gravity to a beverage dispensing station, including:

(a) a pair of tapering se-mitubular cup guides jointly normally defining a -frustoconical pocket in said station receptive of individual falling cups for moving the cups radially during their fall to a position of alignment with the dispensing station;

(b) means entirely remote from said pocket and supporting said cup gmides and enabling both of said guides to be manually pivoted both jointly and individually away from the other of said guides about a fixedly disposed vertical axis outside of said pocket; and

(c) an apertured wall forming the rear of said dispensing station through which wall said cup guides extend with said pocket in front of said wall and behind which wall said supporting means are disposed.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which Said cup guides comprise means normally closing the aperture in said rear wall, each pivotable cup guide having a laterally projecting flange engageable with the rear side of the rear wall to limit pivoting thereof, said projecting flange comprising part of said aperture closing means.

6. A ydevice according to claim 4 in which both of said cup guides are pivotable, including:

(a) spring means biasing said cup guides to a normal cup-receiving position;

(b) a nut secured to said rear wall;

(c) a screw adjustably carried by said nut and having a tapered portion; and

(vd) a pair of stop ears respectively carried by said cup guides and each having a complemental taper normally engaging said taper on said screw by which the normal size of said pocket may Ibe adjustably regulated.

7. A device according to claim '6, in which said screw extends through said rear Wall, and is accessible for adjustment from behind said rear wall.

8. A `device for transferring individual cups by gravity to a beverage dispensing station, including:

(a) a pair of cup guides jointly and normally defining a pocket in said station receptive of individual falling cups;

(b) means supporting said cup guides and enabling at least one of said guides to be manually pivoted away from the other of said guides about a vertical axis outside of said pocket;

(c) spring means biasing the pivotable cup guides to a normal cup-receiving position; and

(d) stop means coactive between a stationary portion of said device and each pivotable cup guide for regulating the normal size of said pocket, said stop means 20 including (1) a screw adjustably secured to said stationary portion of said device; (2) a stop ear on each pivotable cup guide and disposed to engage said screw when the pivot- 10 cup guides are pivotable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,907 12/1918 IProper 221-297 X 2,624,647 1/1953 Lawson 221-195 X 2,379,206 6/ 1945 Westlake 126--24 FOREIGN PATENTS 418,630 10/ 1934 Great Britain.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

